Sunny Day Metal from Torche, "Snakes Are Charmed"

When I talk about metal music I don't typically make reference to terms like "optimism", "hope" or "sunny afternoons". But just as other genres have their emotional orientations, metal too can offer a spectrum of perspectives -- even if not as often.

I went on record saying that Torche’s Harmonicraft is my favourite metal album since Tool’s Ænima. Though the IT department has since had to replace the ruined keyboards of my co-workers who spat out their coffee at such a bold assertion, I maintain that position. But let me explain.

They’re not musically similar in any way. I’m not comparing the two as much as I am merely observing that they’ve both lingered on my personal short list since their release more than any other records.

In particular, “Snakes Are Charmed” has emerged as my favourite track from the record. The song opens with an uplifting guitar arpeggio part which sets it off at a perfect angle for the internal ‘training montage’ in the movie of your life. Even brushing your teeth can feel like an achievement of epic proportions performed over the layers of gritty guitar introspection which cry out at the 45-second mark. And when the the chorus cuts back to the arpeggio, Cut to putting on your deodorant—flawless execution!

This record was missed by a lot of people in 2012 and I happened upon it completely by accident. If you’re reading this, I hope you do too.